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Commissioner Davis defends actions in first televised interview since IRB report released

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<p>Former Police Commissioner Kevin Davis defended his actions while saying some criticism was fair following the IRB's criticism's levied against his behavoirs during the investigation into the death of Sean Suiter.<em> (WMAR photo by Zach Babo)</em></p>

In the report Davis is criticized for what he knew about Suiter and how he handled the immediate investigation.

In an exclusive interview with WMAR, Davis defends his actions handling the investigation and disclosure of information following Suiter’s death and levies his own criticisms at the IRB’s processes and conclusions.

When asked if he believed Suiter took his own life, Davis was unmoved from his stance the when he left the department eight months ago.

“I believe that we are no closer today from conclusively knowing what happened than we were several months ago,” Davis said.

He says the conclusion by the IRB that Sean Suiter committed suicide was irresponsible.

He stresses particular shortcomings in how the board attempted to establish Suiter’s frame of mind, which would factor into his potential reasoning for suicide.

A glaring hole in this report he says is spelled out in who this panel did not interview as part of their investigation.

“They engaged in inductive reasoning,” Davis said. “They started off with a conclusion, and then they filled in the blanks, and I don't know of any other way to think of it, especially when we look at the fact that they ignored such important people to interview: Nicole Suiter, Sean Suiter's Sergeant, Sean Suiter's squad. Those interviews didn't take place.”

“Within days,” Davis said of when he publicly disclosed Suiter’s involvement in the GTTF investigation as a witness. “In fact it was the day after Thanksgiving, I shared that information with the community at a press conference. Within days after that, I shared with the community at another press conference on December 1st that I thought suicide was a possibility. So the assertions within the Independent Review Board that I misled the public, those are completely false.”

Davis' main issue with this report is the finding of suicide – a conclusion he says was reached without any new evidence, obvious mistakes, and glaring omissions.

He says it only serves as a convenience while victimizing the Suiter family once again.